Top 10 Common Cartoon Cliches
The episode in SpongeBob SquarePants titled "Mimic Madness" is a good example of this, where SpongeBob impersonates almost everyone in the episode.
Almost every adult show has this cliche in it.
AKA the cheapest way to write jokes.
They're actually pretty funny.
Honestly, I don't see this as much because the good guy does get hurt. However, it's never plot-changing, character-changing, or fatal to the point of near death.
An example of this is Peter Griffin (from Family Guy), who constantly gets hurt, absolutely destroys his bones, but it never changes the plot beyond one episode.
I hate this so much! It also sends the untrue message that if you are a good person, nothing bad will happen to you.
However, there are a few exceptions, like Steven Universe, where many of the good characters were poofed, destroyed, or shattered.
I want to hit my head against the wall every time I see a really weak character who needs saving. Like - come on! If you want to put a female character in danger, at least don't make her so foolish that she just stumbles into it. Make her put up a fight or something - realistically, people don't just let you grab them and throw them into cages.
Or don't do it at all! Here's an idea: what if she gets captured and then escapes *without* the hero's help?
This literally tells kids that women are weak. Almost every show has a damsel in distress that the main character (usually a guy) has to save.
Come on, give the woman powers and give the guy a break already.
This cliché has been around for too many years. I mean, a villain should at least be smart enough to hire competent henchmen. This has been used for "comedic purposes," but it's definitely NOT comedy for me!
Argh! Why not get real, smart henchmen, dudes?! It's really annoying seeing a smart villain with a stupid guy following him EVERYWHERE.
All fat and dumb imbeciles talking in slow motion. Why are they normally bald?
Seriously, sometimes movies let the bad guy win, but this is too much. These bad guys have things that are ten times better than the heroes. But then - boom - the good guys win. How does this even work?
Seriously, I hate this.
I know that the good guy is SUPPOSED to win, but sometimes the bad guy loses so much that it turns him into a complete failure. (Hint: Doofenshmirtz and Perry.)
The bad guys need to have some glory at least sometimes.
I know cartoons are supposed to be watched by kids, but sometimes it would be great to let the bad guy win in a cartoon show or movie. (Something like in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back.)
I grew up with this one, as I was a huge Tom & Jerry fan when I was a kid. Let me say this: everybody probably grew up with this.
Examples: Tom and Jerry, Wile E. Coyote and The Road Runner.
Two words: Heinz Doofenshmirtz.
What do the PJ Masks' parents do!? They never spend time with their kids and never notice them sneaking out! Plus, the kids can just walk around the city with no adult supervision, while I can't even walk around my own neighborhood - and I'm a teen!
How can the parents not hear their kids yelling?
Has anyone ever seen Ed, Edd n Eddy's parents or even Beavis and Butt-Head's parents for that matter?
And even when they're around, they never seem to keep an eye on their kids.
I am aware this saves time for the animators. Instead of having to create many character sheets with different outfits, they only need one (or fewer). But it would be nice to see what different characters' clothing styles would be!
That's also a way to get to know a character. Like in Sailor Moon, the characters wear different clothes, and damn, do I love me some good Sailor Moon fashion.
Agreed, one of the worst! Seriously, doesn't it stink? I'm so bored of seeing this! Example: Mickey Mouse, from the 1920s to this day. His shorts must stink by now.
The Newcomers
Marge and Homer, Peter and Lois, Timmy's Mom and Dad, Richard and Nicole Watterson. It just gets old.
Yep, we live in a world where only idiot males get married, and all of them marry women out of their league. There's nothing new to be done with this cliché. Homer Simpson by himself exhausted all the possibilities.
Homer Simpson, Peter Griffin, Hugh Neutron, Goofy, Billy's Dad from Billy & Mandy - the list goes on!
Yeah, Mickey Mouse in the 2013 series, for example, doesn't deserve any of the abuse he goes through.
Hate this one! Stop with this, it's just sad.
Examples: Mr. Krabs, Piggy from Dog Man, Angelica Pickles, Mr. Burns.
Greedy characters: Scrooge McDuck, Mr. Krabs, Mr. Burns, Montana Max, and Cat from CatDog.
They fall.
They hang there in mid-air.
They fall.
They scream.
Nothing bad happens to them, or they go to the hospital for 2 minutes.
New episode.
Realistically, no one would boast about how evil they are unless they are a sadist. Usually, if someone is going against you, they would have reasons. These reasons do not include taking over or destroying the world.
Typically, the villain believes they are doing the right thing or defending something important. So, a villain wouldn't boast about being evil because they think they're justified in their actions - unless they're a sadist.
The Loud House. Lincoln and Ronnie Anne (or whatever her name is), Lori and Bobby. Period.
Of course! They always try to kill someone over the littlest things!
You see these all the time in cartoons, with regular civilians carrying torches and pitchforks against the main character.
The Backyardigans, minus Pablo. He has mitten-like flippers.
The Loud House is a perfect example!
An anvil won't kill you, but it would hurt you enough to send you to the hospital! Tom and Jerry's anvil is big, and nobody died!
Basically, every child in South Park (including Cartman) is smarter than the adults. Also, Lisa is the smartest character in The Simpsons despite being eight years old.
I see preschool shows use this cliche a lot. One example is Paw Patrol.
Johnny Test, Snoopy, Paw Patrol, 101 Dalmatians, Jake from Adventure Time, Courage the Cowardly Dog, Toy Story (with reason), Ren from The Ren & Stimpy Show (a chihuahua), and The Fairly OddParents (which recently got a dog), and Pound Puppies - so many talking dogs!
Some laughs are good, but sometimes, it needs to stop.
Evil laughing is amazing when it's done right.
